Maternity cover and authorship

[Okdaisy]

I'm recently back to work after maternity leave. Before mat leave I was leading on a project. My manager got the funding but other than that I'd done everything- ethics, data collection, a lot of the analysis and draft report. There was still some data to collect when I went off so it was handed over to my mat cover to finish data collection and finalise the report. The project is now finished and my mat cover has announced she's writing it up for publication and will be leading on it, and asked would I like to be an author on it. Although the final report was written there is quite a lot if work to prepare the paper. I'm wondering how to navigate this. Do I accept that she's taken over the project and let her claim first authorship.. Or would it be reasonable to push back on this and say I'd like to lead on the paper? I feel like I did a lot of the work and it feels like I'm being disadvantaged by taking mat leave, if this colleague gets first authorship. But it feels really awkward as I can see from her side she's prepared the final report (although I had done a pretty thorough first draft prior to mat leave) so feels like it's hers. Any advice would be appreciated..

you ve done the first draft... so that s at least a claim to first co-authorship, whether or not you want to push further.
The PI needs to take the lead on who gets what, instead of your cover declaring what they think can happen.
Now you are back, where is the cover? still working on the project? in the group?
Do you want / have capacity to take the paper all the way to submission? if yes, go to the PI and lay out all contributions (CReDiT helps for this).

also... PIs rarely "just get the funding" - they most often write that grant 10 times, get 9 rejections, refine the concept, supervise the RAs on the research, review data and SOPs, provide feedback and directions, deal with personnal conflicts in the team, manage external partners, manage coIs, deal with project finance, HR, contracts, finding mat covers (no small feat), keep the lights on the lab

unless yours in "one of those who genuinely do nothing"

regardless, it s worth not diminishing others input when fighting for your own - in case this gets tense as a discussion.

My mat cover is still working in the same department on other projects. Officially the project is complete so she isn't working on it. The only thing left to do is write the paper. I do have capacity to take it on, so it is just a case of whether to pursue it or not. But you are right, I need to discuss with the PI.

It was a small grant that an existing collaborator wanted to fund our team to do the project as it is fairly specialised. So the funding was a bit of a formality and once that was granted it was handed to me to lead, so the PI really has had a very light touch role in the project. I'm not diminishing her role at all- she's fully hands on with everything else we are working on. But was very explicit that this small project was a great opportunity for me to take a lead on all aspects of the project (inc managing the finances, contracts etc etc).

wow - in which case, definitely an option to go to the PI, restate this in the context of the opportunity, and propose to review the next steps for the project, not losing sight of your leadership throughout whilst acknowledging the input of the cover.

if it was me, i d offer co-first authorship, with your name first, stating that the submission will build on the first draft you wrote, and with the mat cover as cofirst if they are prepared to split finalising and submission duties with you. If the cover does not want to split duties / extra work, then middle authorship for them

alternatively, if you want an easier life, tell the cover to do it all, with you as a 2nd name co-first author on the basis of all you ve done earlier on.

and draft the credit statement!

good luck

or.... ask/fight your PI for senior authorship, if you think this is an option (carefully, depends on the power relationship)

Thanks @Marasme
I've been feeling really conflicted about it but I know I'll be left with resentment if I don't challenge it. You are right that I need to speak to the PI. I think she'll understand my perspective.
I wondered about joint first authorship, but it's generally something I try to avoid.. I tend to interpret joint first authorship to mean there's been a disagreement about authorship which is fitting here!

Joint first authorship doesn't mean a conflict. It just means 2 people had a major role in the project. I often recommend it in my lab and do joint last author papers too when appropriate.

From all you've said, it sounds like first authorship or joint first would be right for your contribution. But do look up CreDIT.

I would present this to your PI as positively as possible: ‘I’m excited about this paper, and given my leading role in x, y and z, I would like the opportunity to be first author.’
Presumably the paper isn’t a direct replica of the report, so you can also demonstrate that you have a strong sense of what the hook/original contribution to knowledge will be to make it an excellent article.

I’d suggest go for co-author.

Is this the only paper that will come out of the project?

Joint authorship could be an option. My concern is I'd end up doing most of the work because I have more capacity. How do you manage the division of work with joint first authorship?
The paper won't be a direct replica of the report- it needs a major re-write.
There will only be one paper to come out of the project.

given your early input and involvement i d suggest the cover would need to do the substantial work around rewriting and submitting to gain co-authorship - this needs to come from the PI, though

if you ll be doing all the work towards the submission, i d suggest it s more of a you as first author discussion with the PI, and down to them to agree/disagree and communicate the outcome.

I think at this point you need a clear discussion with your PI about the plan for writing the paper and allocating authorship. Mumsnet can't sort this for your specific field and workload.

@Marasme thanks that's really helpful to have some options in mind to talk through with the PI.
@parietal I realise mumsnet can't sort this for me. I was looking for some outside perspective to feel more prepared for a conversation with the PI, which I now have.
Thanks everyone for your views on this.